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Gaudreault excelling at Springfield

By Matt Stewart, Correspondent

Updated:
03/08/2013 06:29:19 AM EST

In collegiate track and field, team goals are important, but athletes strive to reach the elite meets individually. Springfield College junior and Leominster High grad Gabriella Gaudreault reached the pinnacle of the collegiate track ranks by earning a spot in a race that every track and field competitor dreams of making.

Gaudreault will battle the top 800m runners in the country today and try to extend her consecutive personal-record streak at the Division 3 Indoor Track and Field National Championship, in Naperville, Illinois.

"Since I came to college, my goal has been to make it to Nationals," Gaudreault said. "I wanted to get here, compete, and become an All-American. That's my goal right now. I'm really excited that I made it here.

"I'm really excited to compete against these girls. I'm running against the fastest girls in the nation in Division 3 athletics. I know that's going to push me to run faster."

The Springfield junior solidified a trip to the National Championship by winning the 800m in the ECAC Championships in New York City on March 3. She posted a career best time of 2:12.43, earning her first major collegiate title.

"I was just short of getting the meet record for Division 3 in the 800m," Gaudreault said. "I missed it by .03 seconds. I didn't even know that I was close to breaking it."

The Leominster native's first personal record shattering came in the All-New England Championship on February 23 in Boston.

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Gaudreault finished in third place overall with a 2:12.48 in the 800m run, then aided the 4x400m relay to a season's best time (3:53.44).

"When I came to (the All-New England meet) I was really excited to run against the D1 girls," Gaudreault said. "I was really focused and knew what I had to do. Running against the tougher competition pushes you."

Gaudreault is seeded 11th in the 15-athlete 800m race. Three other New Englanders join her, including Elizabeth Arens from Bates (9th), Maggie Fitter from Keene State (10th), and Samantha Bennett from Wheaton (14th).

"I competed against the girls from New England numerous times during the season," Gaudreault said. "Having them at this big meet is kind of nice to have some familiar faces around. It calms the nerves down a little bit."

It was only last year when Gaudreault made the shift from the 400m dash to the 800m run, a decision that paid huge dividends. However, Gaudreault still frequently runs the 400m as a member of the Pride's mile relay team.

"It was my decision to move up to the 800m," Gaudreault said. "I made it last outdoor season and I just had so much more success individually than with the 400m. So I decided to stick with it, ran cross country for the first time this year, and it definitely helped me for the indoor season."

The Leominster native is majoring in applied exercise science at Springfield College. The Pride historically has had strong track programs on both the men's and women's side.

"Running for Springfield is amazing," Gaudreault said. "We've had some great athletes come from our program. Each year we send two or three athletes to the NCAA National Championship. The training is awesome; weight lifting is a huge part of it too."

In high school Gaudreault primarily was a sprinter, competing mostly in the 400m and 200m dashes. She was a top 15 sprinter in Central Mass. as a senior; in college she finds herself in a similar ranking -- but this time for the entire nation.

Gaudreault's story could serve as an inspiration for members of the rebuilding Blue Devil squad.

"I had a great experience running track at Leominster High School," Gaudreault said. "We had great coaches, and teammates. I wanted to have the same great experience I had running at Leominster in college -- and I have."

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